Dreaming of visiting Napa Valley?s legendary wine country, but not sure you should bring the kids? Won?t they get restless while you go on and on about wine? What if they start pulling each other?s hair and in their best annoying voice start asking if it?s time to GO HOME yet?

Admittedly many opt to leave the kids at home when visiting wine country, but if you are travelling from abroad you probably don?t have that option.

While I want family holidays to be something we can all enjoy, for years ours have centred around the kids and what THEY want to do. This year I felt the kids were old enough (10, 11 and 13) to let mum and dad do something we enjoyed.

And what better place to try out this new theory than Napa Valley? In 1976 this California county helped to catapult California wine to the world stage with the Tasting of Paris where a Chateau Montelena Chardonnay and Stag?s Leap Cabernet beat their French cousins in a blind taste test. One French judge was so horrified she tried to change her score when she found out the California wines had won. This was all good news for Napa and indeed all California wines, and in the nearly 40 years since, Napa wine and related industries have grown to add $50 million to the US economy each year.

** Make sure to check out my suggested itinerary for families visiting Napa Valley and my list of Napa family friendly wineries.**

Tasting some amazing cabs at Stag?s Leap Wine Cellars, one of the Napa wineries that helped catapult California onto the world wine scene by beating French classics in the 1976 blind Paris Tasting. A fabulous story to go with an equally fab winery. Oh, and the kids are here too!

Family friendly Napa: 7 things to do

1. Go Wine Tasting! (Yes, really)

You CAN go wine tasting with the family ? and the kids may even like it! The key is picking wineries that have a welcoming attitude towards families. I found several (you can see my full list of family friendly Napa wineries here). Some even have special activities for kids to capture their interest while mum and dad try the wine. But don?t try to do more than 2 wineries in one day, or the kids WILL kill you.

If you haven?t been wine tasting lately, you?ll be blown away by the experience options available. It?s not just the old-fashioned roll up to the counter and try a few vintages before you buy. Now you can have everything from a ?seated? tasting in a picturesque setting to a tour (wine in hand) to a cask tasting. Many wineries also pair food with their favourite wines. It?s all pretty amazing. Expect to pay between $15 to $40, depending on the experience. Some can be more.

My children usually behave well if they know something fun is in store (such as swimming at the hotel, a train ride, or a cycle or kayak trip). You could go one step further and make official bribes (Napa has a Michael?s craft store which my girls love). And if all else fails ? most wineries have wifi the kids can log on to while you sip away.

The girls did a blind DRY soda tasting at Frog?s Leap Winery. They were given a flight of four samples and asked to identify the flavours. They learned a lot and it really included them in the experience! @frogsleapwinery gets my vote for one of the best family friendly wineries in Napa!

Who doesn?t love dinner on a train?!! We?re on the table directly opposite enjoying a Jamieson Ranch cab while the girls keep busy with the view and a game of Cluedo.

2. Ride the Napa Valley Wine Train

What could be more intriguing for a child than having dinner on a train! The Napa Valley Wine Train, which goes from the city of Napa to St Helena, gives up-close views of the Valley?s vineyards while waiters serve a multiple-course gourmet meal on a restored vintage rail car. We took the Gourmet Express early evening train, which conveniently serves dinner very soon after you board the train (a good option for families). If you don?t want dinner, there are other trips to choose from including a Western BBQ themed open-air train ride, and a couple of options that include stops at wineries. I thought dinner would be a nice experience and I was right! The girls sat together across from us and pretended to be grown up with their virgin Pina Coladas and played Clue (the American version of Cluedo). Mum and dad enjoyed the meal, wine and the views. It was fabulous.

3. Enjoy a Wine Country Picnic!

No visit to Napa Valley is complete without a wine country picnic. There are several places to buy high quality deli items, including Via Satuii, Farmstead, and Dean & DeLuca. Many wineries also allow picnic on their grounds (some save this privilege for wine club members ? so make sure you check beforehand). We stopped at Via Satuii which has a variety of choices and lots of picnic benches outside. It fit in very well with our plans because HALL Wines, a must-visit for its out-of-this-world Cabs, is right across the road!

Hmmm, where to start? Lunch at Ca?Momi at Napa?s Oxbow market

4. Visit Farmers Markets & Specialty Shops

Farmer?s markets are a fun way to experience local culture, art and produce. There are several to choose from, but don?t miss the Oxbrow Public Market, in Napa. It has some pretty cool specialty shops and places to eat, including the Model Bakery (buy the cookbook, it?s my new favourite go to for American cookies), Kara?s Cupcakes (the girls loved these) and Gott?s Roadside (burgers, taco and shakes!).

The girls and I learned how to make spicy Thai coconut soup at @CIAGreystone yesterday as part of their Enthusiasts programme. They have cooking demos each weekend ? kids under 12 go free with a paying adult. The girls loved it, they thought they were on MasterChef!

5. Cultivate little foodies at the Culinary Institute of America

The Culinary Institute of America trains the country?s most talented chefs and the campus in St Helena occupies the gorgeous Greystone Cellars building, once owned by the Christian Brothers. You can earn an associate degree in culinary arts there, but even better is that they offer a food enthusiasts programme, which includes weekend demonstrations. All ages welcome and two children under 12 can accompany a paying adult for no extra charge. We learned how to make Spicy Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup, which comes with a glass of Chardonnay. Needless-to-say the children are not provided with a taste of the wine, but instead get a glass of sparkling apple juice. You can also tour the facilities, eat in the cafe or visit the shop which has a children?s section. If you have any little Master Chef fans ? this is a fun option.

7. Take a Balloon Ride!

For a holiday to remember, start with an early morning hot air balloon ride with Napa Valley Aloft Balloon Rides. A hot air balloon ride is the ultimate way to admire wine country. Kids as young as 8 can participate.

Hanging out at the family pool at Vino Bello Resort, which is adjacent to The Meritage

Where we stayed: The Meritage Resort and Spa

One of the keys to a successful trip to Napa involving children is to find a family friendly place to stay. You might want to avoid romantic / couples focused hotels. A resort with lots of amenities will give kids something to look forward to after a visit to a winery. For us, The Meritage Resort and Spa ticked all those boxes ? with a family swimming pool/water play area, bocce ball and a 6-lane bowling alley!

About Susanna Scott

Susanna Scott founded the BritMums social network in 2008 after a career in marketing. She wanted to create a space for parent bloggers to network, and share ideas and opportunities. She is often quoted as a pioneer in the UK Mum Blogging space, and has been named a top female entrepreneur. She has been featured in The Times, The FT, The Independent, The Guardian, The Sun, Technorati, She, Primo Baby and Red magazine, amongst others. She speaks frequently about blogging, social networking and the BritMums community at industry events. Her blog A Modern Mother ranks in the UK?s top 10 Family Tarvel Blogs. Follow her on @amodernmother.

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